HC bench: Pal panel hearing from Sep 20

Acting on the request of the state government to submit its report on the demands for setting up of permanent benches of the Odisha High Court in various regions of the state within 60 days, the Justice CR Pal Commission has decided to begin its hearing from September 20.
According to sources, the Commission has issued notice to the Koraput District Bar Association and the Kalahandi District Bar Association to place their arguments on September 20 and 21 respectively. The hearing of the Commission would be held at its office at the Cuttack Circuit House.

The Bar Associations of other districts would place their arguments in phases, Commission sources said.

The state government had constituted the Commission led by Justice CR Pal in 2008 to look into the demands for permanent High Court benches in Western and Southern districts and submit a detailed report in six months.

While the Commission is yet to submit its report despite extension of its tenure 10 times during the period, the state government hopes that the Commission would submit its final report with its latest extension till December 31 this year.